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enEverton to wait on Lennon discussion - MartinezAaron Lennon has impressed during his loan spell at Everton, but Roberto Martinez says talks on a permanent deal have not started.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/everton-wait-lennon-discussion-martinez
Everton managerRoberto Martinez says the time is not right to talk about a permanent move for Tottenham's Aaron Lennon and that any discussions will wait until the end of the season.
Lennon has become a fans' favourite since moving to Goodison Park on loan in January,scoringtwice in 12 Premier League appearances.
The England international is set to say farewell to the home fans when Everton entertain Sunderland on Saturday, as he is ineligible to face parent club Tottenham in their final game of the season.
Reports suggest that Everton have been quoted £9million to sign Lennon permanently, but Martinez rejected that as mere paper talk.
"The reality is Idon't know where those figures or stories come from. We've had no conversations with Spurs," he said."It'sa significant game [against Sunderland] for Aaronand us as a football club.
"It's the last game he's available at Goodison.He's had a big impact on the team, there'll be a celebration with our fans and Aaron.
"Whatever happens in the future it has to be something the player is happy with. Then we'll sit down with the player. The conversation hasn't happened yet, buthe'sbeen a revelation since he came here. He's set real high standards andenjoyed his football.
"It's not the moment to speak about [a full deal], the next two games for him it isimportant to finish strong. You don't want to finish a period in a club without good performances. Then we'll sit down and see where Aaron wants to be."
Martinez stated that the elation of beating Manchester United last month was part of thereason for last weekend's lacklustre showing in the 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa.
But with three games remaining the Spaniard, whose side are 11th, remains hopeful breaking into the top 10.
"I still see that the next nine points for us are important to achieve a top-10 finish," he added.
"It's an achievement internally that looked out of reach. From my point of view it's about getting that top-10 finish and the next three games are important for shaping the squad next season."
news_articleThu, 07 May 2015 09:03:39 +0000Anonymous385357 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comUnproductive to undroppable: Aaron Lennons Merseyside renaissance at EvertonCast aside at Spurs for consistent inconsistency, the former Leeds man is now thriving having been given a new lease of life at Everton, writesGreg Lea...Greg Leahttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/unproductive-undroppable-aaron-lennons-merseyside-renaissance-everton
It's October 2014: Tottenham are hosting Newcastle at White Hart Lane. Aaron Lennon looks up and surveys the situation in front of him. Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado wait in the box. Cristian Eriksen loiters on the edge, and Nacer Chadli makes for the far post.
Lennon, brought off the substitutes' bench in place of Erik Lamela with 12 minutes remaining, is in a good position with the ball on the right.
His Spurs side are 2-1 behind at home to Alan Pardew’s Magpies, and their hopes of an equaliser are fading away with every passing second. The winger, though, has done well to work himself a yard of space, after his speed takes him away from Toon left-back Paul Dummett. As Lennon approaches the byline, White Hart Lane holds its collective breath.
The subsequent exhalation comes in the form of 32,000 sighs: the cross has failed to beat the first man and Newcastle clear their lines, pushing right up the pitch and relieving the pressure on their back four. The final whistle sounds moments later, condemning Spurs to their third home defeat of the season.
That single moment seemed to encapsulate Lennon’s entire career to date: clear evidence of ability but ultimately a failure to deliver in a promising situation. That may sound harsh on a man who has won 21 caps for England and produced some fantastic individual performances over the years – most notably under the guidance of Harry Redknapp and Andre Villas-Boas – yet it is a description that will resonate with those who have been continually frustrated with his seemingly chronic inconsistency.
Aaron's upturn
Since Lennon joined Everton in January, however, he has proven a reliable figure, and it's no coincidence that the Toffees’ recent upturn has coincided with the 28-year-old playing 445 of the last 450 league minutes. Roberto Martinez’s side have won four of their last five encounters, with Lennon playing a pivotal role in each victory. Ashley Young will not be the only in-form and revived English winger on show at Goodison Park when Everton take on Manchester United. Lennon’s first Everton start came in March’s defeat to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. Martinez bemoaned his team’s lack of spark and energy in his post-match interview, while insisting that his players had it in them to pull clear of the danger zone.
The Spaniard kept faith with his on-loan wideman the following week against Newcastle, a game Everton headed into just six points clear of the bottom three. Lennon was superb as the Merseysiders cruised to a 3-0 victory, adding zip and pace that had previously been absent.
He hugged the right touchline for most of the game, and always looked to run at the full-back; although only one of Lennon’s six attempted take-ons was successful, his direct approach was clear. A pair of Newcastle fouls on him led to an Everton penalty and Fabricio Coloccini’s sending off.
At many stages of this season, Everton’s patient, possession-based style that brought them so much joy last term has not reaped rewards. Lennon, with his direct running, has given the Toffees an added dimension, offering a change of pace, an outlet on the counter-attack and the opportunity to quicken the tempo.
The natural width he provides has also been important. Lennon is an old-fashioned winger who focuses on beating his man on the outside and getting crosses into the box. Martinez’s preference for a high defensive line makes attacking width essential: if a side is squeezing the pitch vertically, it is important to then stretch it horizontally to avoid congestion in central zone. With Leon Osman starting four of Everton’s last five games on the left, Lennon has been the primary provider of it.
There are early indicators of a better end product too. On first viewing, Lennon’s goals against QPR and Swansea appeared to be little more than simple finishes from close range, but both demonstrated his ability to take up dangerous positions inside the box when the ball is on the opposite side of the pitch; indeed, the two goals featured build-up play down the left, with Lennon on hand to apply the finishing touch after working enough space to leave himself unmarked in the penalty area. For a player who has yet to find the net more than five times in a single league season, his recent strikes are a sign of improvement.
Defensive willing
Lennon’s diligence without the ball has also impressed, suggesting an increased maturity in his mindset. Against Newcastle and Swansea he recovered possession 4 times; 7 in defeat to Southampton.
Playing on the same flank as flying full-back Seamus Coleman means that Lennon is not without defensive responsibilities. The Irishman, always keen to overlap, has not had to temper his natural inclination to bomb forward whenever possible: in his last five matches, Lennon has attempted 4.2 tackles per game on average, an indication of his willingness to help out with the unglamorous task of covering for Coleman.
The next couple of months will be a hugely significant time in Lennon’s career. His Tottenham deal expires in June 2016 and, with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly not a huge fan, it is has been widely reported that the player is “desperate” to extend his stay on Merseyside. With Spurs allegedly interested in Everton’s Belgian winger Kevin Mirallas, some form of swap deal could be in the pipeline.
Now 28, Lennon’s next move will be a vital one. If he wants to stay at Everton beyond the end of this campaign, he must maintain his current level of performance in his side’s five remaining games, starting this Sunday against Louis van Gaal’s revitalised Manchester United. As things stand, the winger finds himself in a good position. This time he must take full advantage.
Everton vs Man United LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureFri, 24 Apr 2015 14:08:47 +0000Joe Brewin379804 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLennon must keep pushing for new dealEverton manager Roberto Martinez has urgedAaron Lennon to maintain his good form as the winger pushesfora permanent move.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lennon-must-keep-pushing-permanent-everton-deal-martinez
The England international has impressed at Goodison Park since joining on loan from Tottenham in the last transfer windowand made it consecutive goals in Premier Leagueaway games by scoring in the 1-1 draw at Swansea City on Saturday.
Manager Martinez has been impressed by Lennon's contribution, but told the former Leeds United player to keep uphis high standards.
"The impressive thing about Aaron is he does not look like a loan player, he looks like he has been playing for Everton for many, many years and that is a very important sign," Martinez said.
"What we now want is for Aaronto carry on pushing, carry on enjoying his football, carry on keeping his place in the side and making sure he enjoys his time with Everton."
Martinez was also boosted by the return of Steven Pienaar after the midfielder missed the past four months with a knee injury.
The South African has made just nine league appearances in an injury-hit campaign and Martinez concedes that Pienaar has been a big miss.
"You see what we have been missing all season," he added. "Steven has been unavailable for 19 Premier League games and that is an astonishing amount of games to be without a key player."
news_articleMon, 13 Apr 2015 08:56:02 +0000Anonymous374711 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEvertons latest tactical shift that could give Saints Clyne and Bertrand a headacheThe Toffees fluid running up front is facilitated by their understated midfield supremo, saysAlex Keble...Alex Keblehttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/evertons-latest-tactical-shift-could-give-saints-clyne-and-bertrand-headache
The direct battle for supremacy on Everton's right flank could ultimately decide this encounter, particularly given that Aaron Lennon's career has been revitalised by Roberto Martinez's recent switch to a more direct, width-focused 4-4-2 formation.
Everton have recorded back-to-back league victories for the first time in 12 months thanks to this tactical change and reversion to a simplified, traditional form of English football.
The main features of the system are instructing both Romelu Lukaku and Arouna Kone to peel into the channels, and for Darron Gibson to move the ball quickly into these wide areas. With the opposition defence stretched, Martinez's full-backs and wingers are finding pockets of space in which to operate.
Note the movement of Kone and Lukaku into the channels, as Gibson continually passes the ball out wide.
Unsurprisingly, Lennon is well suited to this stylistic transition, and after scoring the winning goal against QPR a fortnight ago, a good run of form is likely to follow.
As previously discussed in this series, Gibson has been pivotal to Everton's mini-revival, providing a technical composure that has been desperately lacking at Goodison Park this season.
His distribution into wide areas will most likely cause problems for Southampton's full-backs, although Ryan Bertrand and Nathaniel Clyne are arguably the best full-back pairing in the country.
With Bertrand keen to push forward, and Lennon capable of putting in a good defensive shift (4 tackles, 3 interceptions vs QPR), the direct confrontation between these two could prove decisive.
Both players cover the entire length of their flank, contributing defensively (circles, diamonds, crosses) and in attack; note the take-on attempts (stars) and chances created (sky blue lines).
Everton vs Southampton LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureThu, 02 Apr 2015 16:22:00 +0000Joe Brewin369917 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comMartinez blames snapper for Lennons glum galleryRoberto Martinez has joked that he will chase the photographer who took a series of pictures of a glum-looking Aaron Lennon on his first day at Everton training.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/everton-boss-martinez-blames-photographer-lennons-glum-gallery
The club posted the quartet of images on their Twitter account on Tuesday, with the winger - signed from Tottenham on loan - looking like he wouldrather be anywhere other than Finch Farm.
However, Martinez insists Lennon is happy to have arrived on Merseyside, and that he has seen a determination in the England international.
"I would blame the photographer," the Spaniardquipped."It's your job to make him showa nice smile to the picture.
"I saw a different face. I saw a focused face - one that he was ready to train and ready to perform.
"It's been great to see the way Aaron has adjusted to training.
"When you sign a player in January, it's difficult to find someone who is up to speed with the league and up to speed with his match fitness.
"He's an incredible performer at this level, he's beaten some landmarks in the league already and he's got incredible international experience.
"He's fully fit, he's ready to make an impact and he's ready to be in the squad for the weekend.
"I know there's been a lot said about the pictures. I'll chase the photographer. I wasn't happy with that at all."
Everton face Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Saturday and it remains to be seen who will be smiling after that one.
news_articleThu, 05 Feb 2015 10:40:49 +0000Anonymous337819 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLennon ready for Everton baptism says MartinezNew loan signing Aaron Lennon is ready for his Everton baptism in this weekends Merseyside derby, according to manager Roberto Martinez.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lennon-ready-everton-baptism-martinez
Winger Lennon arrived on a deal until the end of the season from Tottenham on transfer deadline day, and could go straight into the Everton squad for Saturday's clash with Liverpool at Goodison Park.
Martinez is confident the magnitude of the fixture will not daunt his new acquisition, who has been capped 21 times by England.
"It’s not going to faze him," he told Everton TV. "We need to see where he is physically and his match fitness.
"He's played a lot of games so far this season, to be involved in 17 games in this half of the season is a good return.
"He's the kind of player who will look forward to these kinds of games.
"It is the perfect baptism in our club. To go into the Merseyside derby is a really interesting start.
"He's someone who is ready to have an impact in that sort of game."
news_articleTue, 03 Feb 2015 10:42:21 +0000Anonymous336588 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLennon excited by Everton loan switch from SpursSpeedy winger Aaron Lennon plans to make the most of his loan spell at Everton, having struggled for game time at Tottenham.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lennon-excited-everton-switch
Everton beat Stoke City and Hull City to Lennon, who completed a loan deal until the end of the 2014-15 Premier League campaign on deadline day of the mid-season transfer window on Monday.
Lennon had found opportunities hard to come by under Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, making just 17 appearances.
And the 27-year-old is relishing the chance to prove his worth at Goodison Park.
"I'm really looking forward to seizing this opportunity at a club with such a history and with such great potential, too," Lennon told Everton's official website.
"The manager wants to play exciting, attacking football and I’m determined to make a big contribution over the remaining games."
Lennon is free to make his Everton bow against Liverpool in Saturday's Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park.
Everton have struggled for form and consistency this season, with Roberto Martinez's men sitting 12th in the standings, and the Spaniard believes Lennon's experience will prove invaluable heading into the business end of the campaign.
"We all know what Aaron will bring to our squad with his experience and know-how, his involvement with England in two World Cups and the landmarks he has set in the Premier League," said Martinez.
"At 27, Aaron will be a really important asset to our squad and he will represent a real boost in terms of attacking options from now to the end of the season. His pace and trickery will fit in well at Goodison."
news_articleTue, 03 Feb 2015 06:28:11 +0000Anonymous336475 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comTransfer Deadline Day: What they saidIt was a quiet transfer deadline day but plenty was said about Januarys late business.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/transfer-deadline-day-what-they-said
Premier League leaders Chelsea strengthened their title claims with the signing of Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina. The£23.3 million acquisition, who has signed a four-and-a-half year deal, was delighted with his move.
"The best part about this dream is that I'm going to be part of such a big club. For me that is a huge motivation to perform well.
"It is really going to be brilliant to work with one of the best coaches anywhere in the world. I’m very proud to be playing for him [Jose Mourinho] and I think he is going to help me grow into a better player."
- It was one in, one out for Chelsea on deadline day, as Andre Schurrle joined Wolfsburg in a big-money move. Wolfsburg sit second in the Bundesliga and beat Bayern Munich 4-1 on Friday, with coach Dieter Hecking hailingthe capture of Schurrle as significant.
"I am delighted that we have Andre Schurrle, a current world champion, in our team. Andre will improve the already existing quality in our squad."
- Everton sit 12th in the Premier League table and are in need of a boost. Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon can provide that, according to manager Roberto Martinez, after the winger joined on loan until the end of the campaign.
"At 27, Aaron will be a really important asset to our squad and he will represent a real boost in terms of attacking options from now to the end of the season. His pace and trickery will fit in well at Goodison."
- Robert Huth left Stoke City to join Premier League strugglers Leicester City on loan for the rest of the season, but the defender knows he faces a battle to secure his place in Nigel Pearson's side.
"I'm not expecting to walk in the team, I have to prove my worth.I have watched enough Leicester games to be happy to come here, certainly the 5-3 win against Manchester United. And they beat Stoke at home, which was an upset for Stoke."
- Gabriel Paletta is determined to help make Milan a force once again after leaving Serie A strugglers Parma to move to the San Siro.
"I want to help Milan fight for the positions this club deserves, at the top of the table. Everyone must do their part, and I'm coming to give my contribution."
- Davide Santon also arrived at a Serie A club, joining ex-club Inter on loan from Newcastle United. Santon's partner, Chloe Sanderson, hit out at Newcastle on Twitter and claimed the left-back had been forced out. She later deleted the Tweets and Newcastle strongly rejected her claims.
"Just to put it out there, Davide declined Inter Milan's first offer but was pushed out by Newcastle United to leave.
"They are a business, not a club. And as long as they keep losing players with the passion Davide had, they are killing NUFC [Newcastle United Football Club]."
- Benoit Assou-Ekotto departed Tottenham, cancelling his contract after failing to make an appearance for the club in 18 months. The Cameroonian changed his official Twitter picture with a simple slogan to sum up his feelings.
"FREEDOM"
news_articleTue, 03 Feb 2015 00:00:29 +0000Anonymous336311 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEverton win race for Lennon loan switchEverton have signed Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon on loan until the end of the season.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/everton-win-race-lennon
Lennon, who has been capped 21 times by England, reportedly attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs on transfer deadline day.
But Everton manager Robert Martinez got his man ahead of a chasing pack understood to include Stoke City, Hull Cityand QPR.
Lennon joined Tottenham from Leeds United in 2005 and has made 365 appearances across all competitions, scoring 30 goals.
Everton lie 12th in the Premier League table and Lennon could make his debut in Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Goodison Park.
news_articleMon, 02 Feb 2015 22:35:55 +0000Anonymous336249 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPochettino plays down chances of Spurs exodusMauricio Pochettino wants to keep his Tottenham squad together in January, but acknowledged all his players are potentially up for grabs.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pochettino-plays-down-chances-spurs-exodus
Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino has claimed all his players are for sale during the January transfer window, but insistshe does not want anyone to leave.
Misfiring forwardRoberto Soldado is among those linked with a move away from White Hart Lane,while the club are also thought to be open to selling the likes of Kyle Naughton, Emmanuel Adebayor and Aaron Lennon.
With Spurs likely to be among the more active clubs in the remainder of the month, Pochettino hopes to retain a strong squad to compete in the Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Europa League.
"Any player is for sale [but]we want to keep them all," he said.
"We need a strong squad, but there is nothing else to say. I am happy with the squad.
"I am happy with Soldado. I expect him to be here, we have four competitions to play in and we need a strong squad."
Spaniard Soldado is a reported target for German side Bayer Leverkusen - who seemingly look set to lose Josip Drmic to Bundesliga rivals Hamburg.
Spurs, in turn, have been linked with an approach for Everton's Kevin Mirallas, but Pochettino reiterated his desire to see the former Valencia man stay.
"I'm happy with him,"Pochettinosaid ofSoldado."All players are in my plans.
"I expect all players to be here. We have a lot of games. We are still in four competitions.
"I think we need a strong squad to take all the games we have in the future."
news_articleTue, 20 Jan 2015 15:03:53 +0000Anonymous327726 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comMancini plays down Lennon transfer rumoursInter manager Roberto Mancini has dismissed reports linking the Serie A side with a move for Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/mancini-plays-down-lennon-transfer-rumours
The Italian outfit are expected to be active in the January transfer window after a moderate first half of the season which has left them lying in 11th place.
However, after drawing 2-2 with Lazio, Mancini told the club website: "Lennon? We have not talked about him. This is not part of our plans, but there will probably be other players if we can get them.
"However, the team must continue to work regardless of any purchases. We have to find the right continuity for the whole of the game and this can only be done by working."
Inter have only won one of their past six home games in Serie A after Felipe Anderson's brace put Lazio in control at half-time before Mateo Kovacic and Rodrigo Palacio hit back.
"We made mistakes and we make two steps forward, but one step back," added Mancini. "But it will take time and I have to improve so many areas.
"There is a little fear there at the San Siro, especially when things go wrong. We have to overcome this, but we'll make it."news_articleSun, 21 Dec 2014 23:32:01 +0000Anonymous309417 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comMauricio Pochettino at Spurs: The winners and losersWith Mauricio Pochettino just making himself comfortable in his new office at Spurs training facility, Chris Miller tries to work out which members of the squad the Argentine has inherited will fit into his favoured system, and which may face the chop...Chris Millerhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/mauricio-pochettino-spurs-winners-and-losers
Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as Head Coach of Tottenham Hotspur – a position regarded in recent times as something of a poisoned chalice – has bloggers, tweeters and forum-dwellers alike scrabbling to work out who will be in and who will be out; which players will fit into his rather specific way of working, and which are less suited to his style.
Pochettino’s 2013/14 Southampton side became known for their fast-paced attacking football, exhibiting high tempo pressing in midfield, impressive levels of ball retention throughout the team, and full-back play reminiscent of the Brazilian national team circa 1998. Importantly from Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s point of view, this style was achieved with a youthful and mostly English squad.
Last season, Pochettino’s team was the second youngest in the Premier League, with an average age of just over 24 years, and of the 15 players to make 10 or more Premier League starts for Southampton, nine were Englishmen.
Tottenham’s is a squad bursting with untapped talent, and it will be interesting to see what effect Pochettino will have on the group. He helped to raise Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Jay Rodriguez to new levels at Southampton, and his new employers will hope he can work similar wonders with the talent lurking under the surface at Spurs. Although there are gems for him to uncover, there are also clearly a number of players who won't fit in with the new regime and therefore face uncertain futures.
Pochettino will need to make some prompt assessments if Tottenham are to sell those players this summer while their stock is still high, but which players might the Argentine favour, and which may be shown the door?
The potential winners
Kyle Walker - 24, right-back
In Pochettino’s Southampton side, the full-backs played unusually high up the pitch, becoming auxiliary midfield players and getting to the by-line often. Southampton averaged 23 crosses per game last season – funnily enough, the same figure as Tottenham – which put them joint-fourth in the Premier League. With wide players that mostly look to come inside, many of these crosses came from full-backs Luke Shaw (who averaged 0.7 accurate crosses per game), Callum Chambers (0.8) and Nathan Clyne (0.6).
The first choice Spurs full-backs are almost equally as ambitious, and should fit well into the Pochettino philosophy; Kyle Walker and Danny Rose both averaged 0.7 accurate crosses per game in 2013/14. However, with Danny Rose clearly struggling with the defensive side of his game, the left-back position may well be identified as one in need of strengthening. Walker on the other side, though, had a good season, and was greatly missed when sidelined with a pelvic injury for the final two-and-a-half months of the campaign. He will surely be a key weapon for the new man
Erik Lamela - 22, winger
Lamela, like many of the talents Tottenham recruited last summer, failed to make the desired impact in a first season dogged by injury. A serious back injury kept him out for the second half of the season and he will be conscious that he has a point to prove in 2014/15.
Lamela would seem to be a good match for the Adam Lallana role, playing nominally on the wing but frequently drifting inside to link up with a front-man. Pochettino has proven that he is capable of bringing the best out of individuals, and who better to coax Lamela’s ability from within than a fellow Argentine?
Daniel Levy will not want to see his hefty investment go to waste, and could well insist that his new coach shows specific interest in maximising the £30 million man’s potential.
Harry Kane - 20, forward
Levy has invested heavily in Spurs' academy since he arrived at the club, spending millions on the state of the art training centre at Bull’s Cross. The talent is now there and some of the young players are pressing for first team appearances.
Kane is one such player; he is a versatile forward who was given an opportunity to impress at the end of last season under Tim Sherwood. He is a reasonably close match to Rickie Lambert, in that he enjoys dropping deep to link play, as well as drifting into wide areas to keep defenders on their toes.
At Southampton, Pochettino gave competitive minutes to young forward Sam Gallagher – a player younger and less advanced than Kane – and so it seems logical that Kane should continue to be given first team opportunities.
The potential losers
Aaron Lennon - 27, winger
Pochettino’s wingers tend to be in the ‘inverted’ mould, playing high up the pitch, and looking to come inside and add support to the central striker. As such, Southampton mostly relied on their full-backs to provide width.
Aaron Lennon is one of very few ‘traditional’ wingers left in the Premier League – he nearly always plays on his natural side, and his main goal is to provide width on that side, and deliver balls into the box. Of course, that does not always happen, and he quite often comes inside – especially as he has got older and injuries have taken their toll on his pace. However, even in spite of his slightly adapted game, he does not contribute enough to be a wing-forward in a Pochettino 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.
Last season Lennon returned one goal and three assists in 26 starts and one substitute appearance. The previous season he managed four goals and seven assists in 33 starts and one substitute appearance – that was the first time since 2006/07 that he had achieved more than 10 combined goals or assists in the league. Contrast this with Rodriguez (15 goals, three assists in 30 starts and three substitute appearances) and Lallana (nine goals and six assists in 37 starts and one substitute appearance) and it becomes fairly obvious that Lennon will need to significantly ‘up his game’ if he is to be relied upon.
Mousa Dembele - 26, midfielder
Mousa Dembele seems - on the surface - to be an upgrade on the ‘Jack Cork role’ from Pochettino’s midfield at Southampton. He had remarkably similar defensive statistics to Cork last season: each averaged 2.3 tackles per game, each averaged one interception per game, and Dembele has 1.1 clearances per game compared to Cork’s 1.7. Their shots per game (0.5 for Dembele vs 0.6 for Cork) were nearly identical, but Dembele’s 1.1 key passes per game bettered Cork’s 0.6 and the Belgian also had a better pass accuracy (90.8% compared to 86.3%).
What Dembele lacks, though, is the ability to press. Cork is a tidy, organised player who does a lot of good work for the team which often goes unnoticed – helping the team maintain shape, pressing quickly where appropriate. Dembele’s more languid style does not lend itself to pressing and, indeed, it was Gylfi Sigurdsson replacing Dembele at half-time against Southampton that led to an improvement in Spurs’ midfield energy in that particular fixture, with Sigurdsson also scoring the late winner.
It seems barmy to suggest that a player as technically gifted as Dembele will be cast aside, especially as the Sandro/Dembele pivot did so well in André Villas-Boas’ first season in charge. But as good as Dembele is - and he truly is one of the best dribblers to grace the White Hart Lane pitch - he is a very niche player with a very specific and restrictive skillset. His lack of final pass, shot, and his indifferent decision-making have held him back from being the Luka Modric replacement that Spurs crave.
Kyle Naughton - 25, right-back
Kyle Naughton was much-improved towards the end of last season when he moved into his preferred right-back role, having had most of his previous opportunities at left-back. However, he is a somewhat old fashioned full-back and was ill-suited to playing the adventurous style that was asked of him.
His 0.4 accurate crosses per game compared to Walker’s 0.7, and 0.6 key passes compared to Walker’s 1.2 show that in some ways he is almost literally half the offensive threat of his friend and former Sheffield United team-mate.
It would make sense for Pochettino to move Naughton on and to either promote from within, or look to sign Southampton’s Callum Chambers, who is very talented and still slightly beneath the radar of the bigger clubs.
The jury's out
Lewis Holtby - a keen presser, but tends to drift in and out of matches, and often tires after an hour - not a trait his new manager will approve of.
Paulinho - supreme athlete who will run for 90 minutes, but often lacks finesse and struggles with his passing and shooting.
Roberto Soldado - neat and tidy footballer, but one who has totally lost the goal touch that led to him banging in 56 goals across the previous two seasons in La Liga.
Andros Townsend - natural talent who sometimes suffers from tunnel-vision, and who could really benefit from tactical coaching.
Nacer Chadli - physically impressive, but tends to play on the periphery of games, and can lack intensity.
Of course, it's by no means certain that Pochettino will want to recreate exactly the type of team he had at Southampton. Indeed, he will need to prove himself adaptable and get the best from the talent at his disposal. In an interview with The Guardian’s Sid Lowe, Ramón Planes - Espanyol’s sporting director during Pochettino's stint as manager of the Catalan club - said: "I spoke to him about football a lot and I don't think he had one single model.”
Likewise, it is vital that any manager learns lessons from every job. Critics have suggested Southampton lacked a ‘Plan B’ in the season just gone, and it would therefore be unsurprising if Pochettino kept on some players who perhaps don't fit the mould in order to be able to change games in his favour.
featureFri, 30 May 2014 15:15:00 +0000James Maw182010 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLennon slams Sherwood punch rumoursAaron Lennon has dismissed Twitter rumours that Tim Sherwood punched one of his players after Tottenhams 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lennon-slams-sherwood-punch-rumours
Speculation surfaced on the social media site that Sherwood had been involved in an angry confrontation with a member of the Tottenham squad following the Premier League game at Anfield.
However, former Leeds United winger Lennon has insisted that there is no truth whatsoever in the talk.
Lennon posted on his official Twitter account: "Today was not good enough and we let everyone down, but the rumours about the boss hitting someone are b*******, crazy how powerful twitter is."
A Younes Kaboul own goal and further strikes from Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson saw Spurs slump to a sixth defeat in their last 10 games in all competitions, a run that has seen Sherwood's position called into question.
The setback on Merseyside means Tottenham, in sixth, are eight points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal, with Sherwood conceding his side's chances of securing UEFA Champions League qualification are now slim at best.
news_articleSun, 30 Mar 2014 21:34:06 +0000Anonymous146275 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comArsenal and Giroud show Spurs how to make the most of in-form AdebayorThe Togolese hitman is a new player under Tim Sherwood, with 11 goals in 15 appearances this season - but he still needs all the support he can get, writes Michael Cox...Michael Coxhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/arsenal-and-giroud-show-spurs-how-make-most-form-adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor has been rejuvenated since the appointment of Tim Sherwood as Tottenham manager back in mid-December, but his performance in last week's disappointing 1-0 defeat to Norwich was his poorest of the season.
It was also Tottenham’s worst display under Sherwood - but is this cause or effect? Was Adebayor anonymous simply because Tottenham played badly, or have they become too reliant upon the Togo striker, and unable to function when he’s uninvolved?
It’s important to consider the system Sherwood used at Carrow Road last Sunday. His midfield selections have varied wildly since he took charge – for his first match he used an alarmingly attack-minded quartet of Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele and Gylfi Sigurdsson, a midfield that contained no obvious defensive player.
In stark contrast, last weekend he started with Etienne Capoue, Nabil Bentaleb and Paulinho, a midfield that contained no obvious attacking player. In fact, it’s arguable that this trio are all more defensive than the quartet Sherwood used for his debut match against Southampton, which suggests he’s struggled to achieve any kind of balance.
His selections out wide at Norwich were also interesting, with Aaron Lennon on the left and Dembele starting on the right. Although they played those roles during the 4-0 win over Newcastle United, it’s a peculiar combination out wide. Both are good players, but they have the same major shortcoming. Neither score enough goals, primarily because they don’t naturally get into the right positions. They run with the ball, often very directly, but their off-the-ball movement is poor, and therefore Adebayor was left isolated.
The enforced early change, which saw Capoue departing through injury, Nacer Chadli introduced on the flank and Dembele brought back into the midfield, should have helped things. Chadli naturally knows how to play wide in a front three, although is clearly suffering from a lack of confidence and doesn’t have a great relationship with anyone else in the side. Things didn’t improve.
Therefore, Adebayor obviously lacked support. In particular, nobody attempted to make runs beyond him in behind the Norwich defence, which might have been difficult because Chris Hughton’s side were playing a deep defensive line. But it’s an extremely important concept when playing a lone striker, especially in Adebayor’s case – while he can be lethal in the penalty box, he likes coming short towards the ball and becoming involved in build-up play. Unless there are runners beyond him, it means he can only contribute to Spurs playing in front of the opposition.
It was interesting to compare Adebayor’s performance to that of Olivier Giroud, who hit two goals the previous day for Arsenal against Sunderland. The major difference wasn’t the goals, however, but the link-up play. The two received the ball a similar number of times, and in reasonably similar positions.
However, Giroud always had a forward runner darting past him when he received possession: Tomas Rosicky, Lukas Podolski or Jack Wilshere. This meant Giroud repeatedly attempted to play one-touch flicks into the path of oncoming runners, and his assist for Rosicky’s goal illustrated this perfectly. It was a similar goal to the one Wilshere scored against Norwich earlier in the season, and underlines the value in playing a centre-forward as the central pivot.
Giroud had options ahead of him, and therefore often played forward passes. Some went astray, as is natural when playing in such tight spaces, but Arsenal were consistently dangerous in this respect.
Adebayor, however, barely had any support – and therefore he almost always played the ball backwards.
This problem was highlighted when Roberto Soldado came off the bench midway through the second half, and was almost immediately presented with a golden chance thanks to Adebayor’s intelligent link-up play, the sole ‘chance created’ shown above. Soldado, clearly struggling for form, blazed his shot high and wide, but it shows that Adebayor appreciated the option, and that Norwich struggled to cope with a runner playing off him.
Sherwood doesn’t have to use Soldado to support Adebayor, but he must ensure his main striker is supported with forward runners. If not, Adebayor can hardly be blamed for failing to rescue Tottenham yet again.
SEE ALSOSoldado ‘has this fantastic slogan written on his vest’
featureFri, 28 Feb 2014 10:49:33 +0000Joe Brewin130162 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comVillas-Boas thrilled with Lennon returnTottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is delighted with Aaron Lennons return from injury after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/villas-boas-thrilled-lennon-return
The 26-year-old winger has been out with a foot injury since Villas-Boas' side's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on the opening day of the Premier League season and has now missed 11 games in all competitions.
But Lennon has returned to full training this week, and the Portuguese is excited to get him back in the mix following the international break.
"I'm extremely happy, it's been a long time out for a player of Aaron's importance and the team is delighted with his return," Villas-Boas said.
"He's proved year after year how important he is for us and to have him back is a major plus.
"Let's see how he works on the international break.
"Azza has kept his fitness very high with our medical department."
Lennon could be in line to make his return in Tottenham's next Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on October 20.
news_articleWed, 09 Oct 2013 17:48:21 +0000Anonymous71958 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com